


take my love and run

by curiosity



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, M/M, did anyone ask for more thief/detective fics? i'm here to deliver, he's just gay and follows his heart, momoharu trying to help shuichi out, no spoilers whatsoever here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2019-01-16 15:32:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12345504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiosity/pseuds/curiosity
Summary: The paperwork on his desk must be stacking up, never-ending, he imagines. All because this hassle of a so-called phantom thief is out there wanting to make a name of himself out to the world.And said case belongs to no one other than to him, the detective of this story.





	take my love and run

**Author's Note:**

> how could i possibly not write about this. deprived of sleep at that so it's a bit bad (read: really bad) but. you could have not expected me to just stay still when THAT love hotel scene is a real thing.
> 
> drv3 and saiouma are ruining my life. call 911
> 
> edit: for that sexy sequel, here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/12405783

Breaking news on the television once again, most likely the fourth time this week. Another successful artifact of massive value has been stolen, this time from the mansion of some wealthy big shot.

Saihara Shuichi holds his cup of coffee close to his lips and sighs. The paperwork on his desk must be stacking up, never-ending, he imagines. All because this hassle of a so-called phantom thief is out there wanting to make a name of himself out to the world.

And said case belongs to no one other than to him, the detective of this story.

Shuichi doesn’t understand much about the thief either, what are his intentions? What is he trying to win from all of these heists? He can be doing it just for the thrills and laughs, really, it wouldn’t be the first criminal wanting to show off. But... Some sort of gut feeling within him tells him maybe, maybe the thief has better intentions. Not that he would know, really; all he has ever done was chase him for months now.

He looks at his wristwatch. It marks exactly half past nine in the morning. Better get going to his office...

-

When he gets there, his worst nightmare does indeed confirm itself, and his legs never before wanted to turn around and lead him far away from the enormous paperwork ahead. Nevertheless, that just isn’t possible. Sighing, he puts down his bag by his desk and starts going through the reports, headache already knocking at his door.

Stolen crowns, stolen necklaces, stolen jewels... All cases circle around those kind of objects. The only thing connecting them is a calling card with a rose and a riddle to solve the thief drops saying the day and the location of his next target, the rest goes on by itself. It has always ended in the detective chasing after the thief but not being able to reach out to him, his floating white cape and extravagant top hat far, far away.

Speaking of which... Was that red rose always on his desk..?

Shuichi’s expression turns into one of confusion, has it been here before? He does not recall putting it here, then again, he has been really tired these days... Except all those thoughts come to halt when a familiar symbol of a clown mask appear before him, not just once, but twice.

Two calling cards.

He freezes, not sure what to make out of this. It’s the first time the thief decides to send the card directly to him, normally it’s just given to the people who keep the targets in question; does he have anything the thief wanted? Picking them from his desk, he hurries to read them, and—

_— For you, my beloved detective._

The sudden bright red tone which meets his cheeks speak for itself. No, no, what is he thinking, this is just another of the thief’s antics... Isn’t it?

Shaking his thoughts away, he decides to ignore that... one specific card. The other one is the riddle, apparently.

_— In the realm where truths and lies were painted, hope and despair portrayed, and then exposed to the world, I will steal what’s most important to you, tomorrow night._

“What’s most important to me..?” His eyes wide at that statement. So he does, in fact, have something the thief wants, but, what can it be...? “Truths and lies? Hope and despair?” He assumes it could only be the biggest museum in the city, countless of artists have their artworks there, some fabricated by bits of their imagination, some expressing the reality of the world in its past and present. That has to be it. What is concerning was the treasure referred in the card.

The detective has nothing with an extreme value worthy of stealing on his hold. Sure, he has his expressive watch, given to him as a present from his uncle as a present, but, that sounds like such a mundane item for such a flashy thief... Shuichi is about as ordinary as they can get...

His phone ringtone brings him down back to earth; a message? His hand travels to the bag’s inner pockets to pick it up.

 _Come by the usual place after you’re done, bro_ , the message reads.  _Me and Harumaki will be waiting for you!_

“Heh... Typical Momota-kun, it’s like he knows when I need to talk...”

Putting all questions aside, a little smile comes to grace his expression upon reading the message.

Guess he would just have to get the reports done for the time being, to forget about the rest. He would inform the police about the thief’s next move, but the target would remain a secret to himself alone... until he meets up with his friends.

-

“So, you sure you shouldn’t drop the chasing already?”

Momota Kaito stands in the seat in front of Shuichi’s, coffee in his hand with a confused expression. Next to him is Harukawa Maki, this one holding a cup of warm tea instead. The coffee shop they are at became their casual hang out spot along the way.

“It’s... not like I can just stop,” Shuichi begins explaining, head looking down to his feet. “It’s been going on for months, even more recently. He doesn’t give up. It’s becoming a bit frustrating, but...”

“You’ve gotten used to it, haven’t you?” Maki speaks up now, while Kaito looks at both of them.

“...Yes,” the sigh Shuichi lets out is probably louder than he initially expected. “And, today I got a calling card of his. Two, actually, on my office’s desk.” He picks it up from the bag to show it at them. If there’s anyone he trusts with the matter, it’s these two.

Kaito immediately takes them away from Shuichi’s hand. “Hoho, what do we have here? For my beloved detective?” Shuichi’s cheeks immediately light up when he remembers the content of that particular card. “Looks like you got an admirer, Shuichi!”

Maki then takes it from Kaito’s hands, reading the message to herself. “Being admired by a worldwide criminal isn’t exactly a good thing, though. Do you have any idea what he wants from you?”

Shuichi shakes his head. “Not a clue. It was easy to guess the location to meet up with him next from his riddle, but I don’t know what he could be after now.”

“Oh, oh!” Kaito raises his hand, a grin spread on his face. “What if... he’s after your heart?! You know, like a scene straight out of a show or...”

“That’s ridiculous,” Maki deadpans at the preposterous remark.

“You never know, that could be it! Maybe he got, dunno, a crush on Shuichi or something? And now he’s after him to get him, just like I got your heart, Harumaki!”

Shuichi never saw Maki getting up at the speed she did to punch Kaito into oblivion before. And, truth be told, they have known each other for a long time now.

He catches a quick glance on the silver rings in both their fingers. In the midst of this, they keep arguing, Maki fully embarrassed by Kaito’s (definitely correct, unfortunately) unnecessary comment, and Katio telling her to calm down and how it was just a little joke. He lets a giggle out at how his friends never change... and how he’s grateful for them. Where would he be without them, really.

Stealing his heart, though... He will have to keep that in mind.

-

The night of the heist comes and Saihara Shuichi finds himself in front of the supposed meeting place, the city’s most famous museum. Other than Kaito and Maki, he did not confess what was the target this time around to anyone else. (The police asked, and asked, but he avoided it; not so smoothly, but enough to make them believe the thief had simply forgotten to write down what it was.)

He excuses himself from the rest of the party, and walks into the museum by himself. Everything is as it is always, he goes in, tries to catch the thief, if he escapes to the outside, the police will try to take care of him.

(Try being the keyword there, if they have had success before, this case would have ended by now.

Not like it bothers him, at this point. It’s tiresome, but... maybe he is starting to enjoy this.)

There are paintings and sculptures everywhere as far as he can see with his flashlight. Realistic and abstract art, dark and bright, colours, many colours; so many artworks to be seen here. The riddle makes sense, now admiring the art around him. People conveyed their hopes and despair into the realistic art, the truth of the world. And others used it to hide facts, hide their true emotions. A  _lie_ , a perfect lie; a mask.

He realises he is letting is guard down too much by focusing on his thoughts, so he recomposes himself. But, little does the detective know he is already being followed around. And little does he know what is coming next.

Lights go out and the detectives freezes. He’s here, he’s here, he is  _here,_ and he’s not quick enough to stop his sight from getting taken away from him and his mouth covered by a silk glove.

“Saihara-chaaan,” the voice is so close to his ear, so close, it makes a shiver run down his spine, and he knows they are about to play around once more.

“You thought you could catch me, but turns out you’re the one being caught instead! Let me have you a bit to myself, o-kay~?” 

In the current predicament, he doesn’t have much of a choice but let the thief guide him in the darkness of the unknown.

-

When his eyes are finally uncovered again, the first thing he sees is the moon, gorgeous and full at its highest of the starry night. Then, he notes he is not restrained or anything, just standing up still in an empty exhibition room, where the only other person instead of him is a short figure in a gallant costume.

(He never noticed how short the thief was, before. Maybe because they never had a moment to pause and stare at each other. He could swear the other is at least fifteen centimeters smaller, which was... slightly endearing?

...Why was his heartbeat accelerating?)

“Welcome, Saihara-chan!” says the voice behind the mask. “You sure let your guard down back there, nishishi! Or did you really want me to get you that badly? No need to try to lie, you know, I’m better than you at that!”

“E-Enough of your games,” Shuichi tries to compose himself to face the thief properly. Confidence. Don’t let your defenses go down again. “What are you after?” He figures the door behind him is locked, so no need to bother with that. Focus on him, focus on what matters.

The thief walks towards Shuichi, humming a soft tune to himself. “What I’m after? You, duh,” The detective could almost imagine the grin that the other is most likely expressing.

With a snap of his fingers, a piano melody started echoing through the room. Before being able to have any reaction, the thief grabs the detective’s hand and pulls him into a dance.

“Didn’t I say I was going to steal what’s most important to you?” The playful, child-alike tone graces his voice, rather than one with malicious intents. “So? Do you find out what it is?”

He still did not know what it could be, really, even now being face to face with the thief. He thought long and hard about it, but... he had no answer to give.

“Don’t hurt me like that, Saihara-chan, you should know me by now!” And by now, the detective would also know that remark is fake. “Oh well, nevermind. That was a lie.”

Maybe he should have paid attention to Kaito and Maki. Maybe he should have dropped this case long before it led him to a constant need to pursuit and unravel the mysteries beneath that clown mask. Just maybe, he could have stopped this. But, now, it’s impossible, for the thief has gotten him right where he wanted him, on the palm of his hand where he’s dancing, and dancing, and dancing. 

Ah, how unfair of him, Shuichi realises. How unfair to make him feel so curious. So enchanted. So captured.

(It’s like he wants his everything to be stolen by him.)

The phantom thief is twirling him around so gently, the two of them alone in the large empty room, moonlight shining through the crystal glass roof from above. There are no witnesses to their dance except for the paintings which covered the walls.

The mask remains all the same on the thief’s face throughout the scene, and Shuichi wonders; who is it? Who is the one hiding his face? Who is the criminal playing tricks with his heart? There’s a star in one side of clown’s face, and in the other, a tear. He could only imagine the expression the other can be doing.  _Let me see, let me in, show me who you are—_

The music comes to an end and so does their dance. One more twirl and Shuichi finds himself being held down by one arm; how could a little figure be so strong? He figures; being a criminal has its hardships. The thief keeps looking from above at him. He’s covering the moonlight, all he sees is the mask, and he’s so close, so terrifyingly  _close,_ and yet so far.

“Nishishi... Saihara-chan truly is the most interesting person I’ve ever met.” A finger trails down to the detective’s soft lips, his blush intensifying. “And that... isn’t a lie.”

He’s falling. He’s falling, and falling, and falling, his heart speeding up the more the other approaches, his eyelids closing in the heat of the moment, and, ah, when did those pink lips appear hovering before his own lips and why aren’t they touching his; that warm breath he feels right before him, his heart can’t handle _—_

Nothing but butterflies fill his stomach in the next few seconds where they connect with each other, and he sees nothing but bright sparks. _God_ , he doesn’t process anything besides the sweet taste of the other’s lips and wishes for it to go on, and on, and on.

Can he sue the criminal he is chasing after for stealing his first kiss? He will have to check on that after this.

“Mission complete,” A sneaky laugh leaves the thief’s swallowed lips. “Guess your heart is mine, Saihara-chan!”

“My... heart?”

All he feels is a hand shoving him to the floor before understanding that, for god knows how many times it has been already, the (now fully assumed target of his affections, damn that cursed kiss) criminal is becoming unreachable into the vast hallway. He shouts “wait!” but he’s aware it’s pointless. 

Still in a daze, Shuichi brings his hand to his lips. He remembers the conversation with Kaito and Maki the day before. Despite letting him escape, he can’t help but to let a smile show on his features. 

In the room where the two previously were, there is a red rose on the floor.

He knows this is far from being their last showdown.

-

Standing now outside of the museum after yet another successful heist, the thief removes his mask. His purple eyes gaze at the stars above.

Every single thing about Saihara Shuichi made him want to play more with him. Ouma Kokichi, master phantom thief of the century, ponders it for a minute. When was the last time someone captivated him so much?

He has him right where he wants; he stole his heart, after all. What comes next is all a matter to come in due time.

Flying away into the midnight sky, smirk not dropping from his expression, Ouma wonders about what he could bring his beloved detective to do next time they meet under the moonlight.

**Author's Note:**

> i debated having them kiss or not but then i realised the entire purpose of this was to have them kiss so i'd hate myself if i didn't write it.
> 
> hope you enjoyed it!


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